2014 Chateau Mont Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Half Bottle 375ml, Southern Rhone

65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 5% Mourvedre with small amounts of Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin and Vaccarese. 100% de-stemmed and optically sorted by the most sophisticated system in the Rhône Valley. Fermented in stainless steel with periodic plunging for about two weeks and then matured for about 12 months, half in steel and half in Burgundy barriques, 25% new.

Brilliant ruby. Energetic, mineral-tinged red berry and floral pastille aromas show excellent clarity and building spiciness. Silky, sweet and powerful in the mouth, offering raspberry liqueur and lavender flavors that steadily become deeper with air. Fine-grained tannins give gentle grip to the impressively long, penetrating finish, which strongly echoes the floral and red berry notes. In a distinctly suave style, with no rough edges.

92-94 points Josh Raynolds vinous.com April 2016